Hydrocarbon burner



May 12, 1931. G. B. .loHNsoN v HYDRocARBoN BURNER Filed Sept. 6, 1927 2 SheetsP-Sheet l lbllln May l2, 1931. G. B. JQHNsoN HYDROCARBON BURNER Filed sept. 6. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N fmfen 01 67907 fogna@ li ...Mlmy l w ma Wm NATM@ yimg@ Patenten May 12, ieiai innata GEORGE B. JHR'EGN, @F EVANSTQN, LLINIS Application file` September This invention relates to hydrocarbon burners, and more particularly to a new process and apparatus whereby fuel oii may be vaporized and mixed with air in the proper proportions, without the decomposition of the oil into its hydrogen and carbon elements so as to avoid the deposition of carbon in the vaporizer and so as to Venable the fuel mixture to burn completely without residue. V

In general terms, the apparatus includes a retort or vaporizer to which the oil is fed in quantities which vary according to the degree Yof heat required at the main burner. The airis forced under low pressure into and through the retort by means of a motor driven fan, this air mixing with and carrying away in suspension the vaporized fuel, the combustible mixture passing directly7 to the burners. The conduits leading from the fan to the retort and from the retort to the burners are large and unobstructed, there being nothing'to impede the flow of the gaseous materials and to become clogged' with carbon deposits. An auxiliary burner is provided to heat the retort, this burner beingV fed with combustible mixture by means 'of a branch pipe leading from the conduit which carries the air and vaporized oil from the retort to the main burner. rlhe passage leading to the auxiliary burner is so designed that the heat applied to the retort by this burner will -never be more than sufficient to vaporize the oil Without decomposing the same. An auxiliary burner supplied with fuel from a separate source is provided for furnishing additional heat to the vaporizer or Aretort when necessary, this latter burner being automatically controlled by the temperature in the vaporizer.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus adapted to function as hereinabove briefly described, and as described more in detail hereinafter.

Another object is to provide improved means for preheating the air prior to its introduction into the retort or vaporizer.

Another object is to provide improved means for forcing air under pressure through the retort and to the burners.

Another object isy to provide improved e, isz?. .ee-nai no. 217,685.

means for automatically regulating the heat applied to the vaporizer, such means comprising burners fed from separate sources of supply, and thermostatically controlled b1 the temperature in the vaporizer. Numerous other objects and advantages ofv this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of one ap'- provedj'form of apparatusutilizing the principles of this invention. 155i? In the accompanying drawings: Fig. l is a side elevation of the assembled apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the assembled apparatus, partially broken away. Cw Fig. 3 is a transverse Vertical section taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4L is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 1+i-,4 kof Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section taken substantially on the line 5 5 of F ig. l.

llhile this improved burner is adaptable for various uses, the preferred embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is designed particularly for installation in home-heating furnaces, for burning oil in lieu of the coal for which the furnace was originally dcsigned. A portion of the apparatus, including all burners, is positioned Within the fire-- aox, while other portions of the apparatus are positioned outside` of but adjacent the furnace, the connection pipes being few and of small size so that they may be easily installed. The main burner may take'various forms andV be of various sizes and proportions, according to the capacity of the furnace and the space available within the fire-box. ils here shown, the furnace walls are indicated at i, 'and the main burner comprises a plurality of pipes 2 provided with slits in their upper faces. These pipes are mounted upon and are in coinmunication with a. manifold t which supplies the combustible mixture to the burner pipes 2. i rl-he vaporizer or retort 5 consists of aV b" metallic vessel closed except for the oil and inlets and outlets hereinafter s-pecied. rlie oil is supplied'through a pipe 6 sealed into one end of the retort. The pipo 6 as here shown is much larger than is necessary for the comparatively small flow of oil to th er 23 is adapted to burn gaseous fuel from retort, the pipe being of this increased size since it serves to house the thermostat hereinafter described. The pipe V6 is provided with suitable valves, hereinafter descriied, for controlling the amount of oil fed to the vaporizer. Only suiiicient head or prossime on the oil is necessarv to insure a flow into the vaporizing chamber 5. Air under low pressure is continuously supplie l by means of a suitable air fan or punir; 7, the shaft 8 of which is connected through coupler 9 with a suitable rotary motor 19. Air under low super-atmospheric pressure (for exam )le about four ounces per square inch) is forced by the fan 7 through n ipe 11 into the retort or vaporizer. "It will be noted that a. por'- tion.12 of this air pipe 'l1 passes horizontally along` and closely adjacent to one side of the vaporizer "V, loops around ,theV far end of the vapor-incr as indicated 1.3,eiitends back along the other side of the vaporizer at 14, parallel with the po on 12, and then opens into the side of the vaperiz-er at 15, adjacent the endV 16, rough which the voil is admitted. The opening' er port 15 is larrge and unobstructed, having approzriinateiy the same cross sectional area as the air pipe 11. Y Y

The outlet pipe or conduit 17 leads from the other end 18 of the vaporizer (opp site to the end through which the oil and air are admitted), then curves back over the reporizer and connects with theVma-nifold 4;. The outlet pipe 17 is, like the airinlet pipe 11, in free and unobstructed communication with the retort 5, and serves to conduct the cornbustibleminture from the retort into the mane ifold l and thence to the burners 2.

A. branch pipe 2O leads from the fitting 19 by means of which the conduit 17 connects with manifold 4. This branch pipe 26 leads down to and supports a pair of auxiliary burners 21 located beneath the retort, these 'i burners being similarto but smaller than the main burners 2., hereinabove described.

It will be apparent that the branch pipe 2 supplies a portion of the combustible mii:- ture generated in the retort 5 to the auxiliary burners 21 which serve to heat the retort. A buttery valve 22, thermostatically operated as hereinafter described, is positioned in the downwardly extending' branch of supply pipe 29, but the auxiliary-burners 21 and the conduits leading thereto are preferably so designed and proportioned that the heat applied to the retort by these burners will normally be approximately sufficient, when this valve 22 is opened, but no more than sufficient to vaporise the oil delivered to the retort without decomposingsame. K

i A third auxiliary burner, comprising a perforated Vpipe section 23 closed at one end, is positioned midway between and parallel with the auxiliary oil burners 21. This burna separate source of supply. As here shown, pipe 23 leads out through the wall of furnace 1 and connects thru the usual air intake valve 24 and suitable pipe fittings with Jthe pipe 25 leading from the outside gas supply. A thermostatically operated valve 26 in pipe 25 controls the flow of gas to the auxiliary burner 23. This valve 26 is controlled by a thermostat which is mounted within the retort 5 and extends out through the end 16 of the retort, being housed within the oil supply pipe 6 as hereinabove described. The thermostat as Vhere shown comprises a metallic tube 27 closed at its inner end and housing a carbon rod 28. When the tube 27 isV heated it eX- pands and permits therod 28 to b e pushed further into the retort by means of a spring (not shown) located outside of the furnace. llfhen the retort and tube 27 cool off, the tube will contract and push the carbon rod 28 out of the retort. A push-rod 29 connected with and operated by the carbon rod 28 serves to open or close the gas-supply valve 26 in the well-known manner. The short arm of a lever 30, intermediately pivoted at 31 on a portion of the housing of valve 26, is connected with and actuated by rod 29. The longer arm of lever30 is connected through link 32 with the operating crank 33 on the butterfly valve 22 in pipe 20. When the thermostat expands sufliciently it will close the valve 26, which is however so adjusted that a slight iiow of gas will always pass through the valve to keep'burner 23 supplied suliciently to serve as a pilot light, and also to furnish gas through the branch pipes 34 to the pilot light 35 positioned adjacentthe main burner 2. The gas supply can be completely shut off by means of the manually operated valve 36 positioned in pipe 25 above the thermostatically controlled valve 26. The. butterfly valve 22 will bepartially closed Vwhen the thermostat has expanded to its normal operating temperature, but this valve will in this adjustment permit Vthe passage of sufficient fuel to the burners 21 to provide the necessary heat for vaporizing the oil within the retort. Should the temperature in the retort ,fall below the desired minimum, the resulting movement of the thermostat will serve to open wider the valve 22 and admit more fuel to the auxiliary burners 21.

The main control valve 37 for the oil supply is located in the oil feed pipe 38 which leads down to and connects into lthe oil supply pipe 6 previously described. This control valve 37 is regulated by the lever 39 secured to the valve stem 40. Au adjusting screw 41, adapted to contact with a fixed stop 42, may be set to limit the closing of the valve so that suihcient oil will always flow to the vaporizer to furnish the minimum of fuel whichwill lreep the burners`2 and 21 in operation. The valve control lever 39 may be provided with illl ' fuel to flow' tothe vaporizer. A branch'chain 46 leads from lever 39 to the control lever 47 for a damper 48 positioned in the outlet of fan 7 leading to air lsupply pipe 11. ln this way, the amount of air delivered to the vaporrizer may be varied in accordance withthe supply of'oil deliveredthereto. The oil supply valve 37 may be manually operated, or any suitable type of manually operated control valve can be substituted for the automatically controlled valve here shown.V

A second automatically controlled valve 49 is provided in the oil supply line 38 for shutting oil the how of oil to the retort in case thelame should be extinguished at the burners,thus permitting the combustible mixture to return to liquid form, and stopping the further vaporization of oil delivered through inlet 6 to the-retort. In any such event the oil accumulating in the retort will Howk out through the air supply pipe 11 which may ineline slightly downward toward the fan 7. Adjacent the inlet end of pipe 11 is a fitting housing a siphon loop which will lill with `oil'and from whichoil will spill through spout 51 into the hanging receptacle 52. The siphon in itting 50 willV normally be llilled with oil so as to prevent the loss of air pressure through these pipes in the normal operation oi' the air supply fan 7. The valve 49 is controlled by a bellcrank lever 53, from one arm of which the receptacle 52 is suspended by meanscf chain or other exible connections 54. The vother arm 'of bellcrank 53 carries an adjustable weightA adapted to normally' counterbalance the weight .of the empty receptacle 52. When the oil condenses, 0r fails to vaporize in the retort, it flows back through pipe 11 and the siphon 50 and spills into the receptacle 52 which will 'then overbalance the counter-weight 55 and swings this weight over to the other side of the vertical so as to close the shut-oil valve 49 and prevent the further flow of oil to the retort.

As hereinabove noted, the air pipe 11, betore delivering its air at 15 into the vaporizer, passes ralmost completely around the vaporizer as indicated at 12, 13 and 14. A shield or detlector 56 is mounted above the retort 5, and has side members 57 extending down over the horizontal branches 12 and 14 of the air pipe 11. lt will thus be noted that the heated gases delivered by auxiliary burners 21 and 23 to the vaporizer 5 must in order to escape flow out through the ends ofthe del'ector 56 or down beneath the side flanges 57, so that all of the branches 12, 13 and 14 of the air supply pipe are `positioned within thepath of these heated gases so that the air is preheated' before entering the retort to such a temperature that it assists materially in the vaporizationof the oil and in the formation therewith of the combustible mixture. I lt will be noted that the conduits 17 and 20 which convey the combustiblemixture from the-retort to the various burners are also subjected'to the flow of heated gases from beneaththe deflector 56 so that the combustible mixture is not permitted to lose its eiiiciency byy cooling olf while passing through these conduits.

ln starting the operation 'or' this apparatus, th-e gasV valve 36 is turned on and the pilot light 35 Land auxiliary burner 23 are ignited. (bviously, at this time the thermostatically controlled valve 26 will be open since the retort 5 is cold. Burner 23 will very soon heat the retort 5 nearly to the desired temperature, and'control valve 37 is now opened to permit a low of oil to the retort. This oil will be vapo-rized and mixed with the air supplied-by fan 7, which has been preheated before entering the retort, and the combustible mixture will flow to the main 4burner 2 andauxiliary burners 21, which will be ignited by the pilot light 35 and the auxiliary` burner 23 respectively. lVith the burners 21 in operation, the retort will quickly be brought to its normal operating temperature (about 7000 lFahrenheit), whereupon the thermostat will practically shut off Vthe ilow ofgas to the auxiliary burner 23 which thereafter acts normally merely as a pilot light. However, to avoid overheating the retort 5, the auxiliary burners 21 and the conduits leadingthereto are so designed that they will deliver hardly more than sufticient heat to the retort to vaporize the oil, the flow of vaporized fuel to these burners being further controlled by the valve 22, and in case the temperature in the retort 'falls materiallybelow that required for vaporizing the oil, and the automatic opening of valve 22 does not cause sufficient heat to be supplied by burners 21, the thermo-stat will contract and vpermit a flow of gas to the auxiliary burner 23, which will supply the necessary additional heat for bringing the retort or vaporizer up to the proper temperature. When greater heat at the furnace is required, the oil supply valve 37 will be opened, either manuallyor automatically by means of thermostat 45, to permit an increased'flow of oil to the vaporizer. 'This will increase the rate of production of vaporized oil, andthere will be an increased flow of gaseous fuel to the auxiliary burners 21 as well as to the main burner 2, thereby normally furnishing the additional heat required forfvaporizing the increased quantity of oil. However, if suih- Ycient Vaporizing heat is not furnished by burners 2l, the gas burner will automatically be brought into action to supplement the heat applied to retort 5. As before stated, the damper 48 will be automatically kopened in accordance with the opening of oil supply valve 37, so as to permit an additional supply of air from fan 7.

It will be noted that the preheated air is forced under pressure into the retort adacent thepoint of entry of the oil, and thence passes throughout the length'of the retort beforeemerging therefrom. -The fact that' f the air is Vsupplied through the side ,of` the retort alsorcauses a whirling and circulation of the air therein so thaty there is a complete mixture of all of the gaseous materials Within the retort, and the continuous and forced circulation ofY air through vthe retort tends to clean out all materials that mightother- Wise be deposited therein. Since the air Vis introducec from the side, at right angles to the incoming oil, it will flatten out the oil stream and spread it over the inner surface.

' or carbonized.

I claim: Y

l. Ina fuelV oil burner, a main burner, a retort, means for feeding oil directly into the retort, means distinct from the main burner for heating the retort, means for forcingair under pressure into one end portion of the retort through the retort and fromthe other end portion of the retort to the main burner and means controlled by the temperature in the retort for regulating the amount of heat apy plied to the retort.

2. In a fuel oil burner7 a Vaporizer, means for supplying oil thereto, a burner for heating the vaporizer, a main burner, and means for forcing air under pressure to and into the vaporizer adjacent one end thereof, conduits leading from the opposite end portion of the retort to both of the burners, an additional burner for heating the vaporizer, means for supplying this burner With fuel from an independent source, and means'controlled by thetemperature in the Vaporizer for regulating this additional burner.

3. vIn a fuel oil burner, a Vaporizer, means for supplying oil thereto, an auxiliary burner for heating the Vaporizer, a main burner, an outlet conduit 1n open communication rv With the `vaporizer and leading to the main burner, a source of Vair under pressure, and a conduitleading from this source and in open communication with ythe vaporizer at a position spaced from the outlet conduit, the latter conduit having a portion positioned in proximity to the Vaporizer and auxiliary burner Wherebythe air will be preheated beforeentering the vaporizer.

4. In a fuel oil burner, a yaporizer, means for supplying oil thereto, an auxiliary burner for heating the vaporizer, a main burner, an outlet conduitV in ,open communication With the yaporizer and leading to the main burner, a source of air under pressure, and a conduit .leading from this source and in open communication with the vaporizer at a positionspaced from the outlet conduit, the latterconduit being loopedV about .the Vaporizer before communicating therewith unereby the air will be preheated before entering the vaporizer. Y

.5. In a fuel oil burner, a vaporizer, means for supplying oil thereto, an auxiliary burner positioned beneath` the Vaporizer, al main burner, an outlet conduit in open communication with the Vaporizer and leading to the main burner, a source of air under pressure, a conduit leading from this source and passing along both sides of the vaporizer and then communicating With the Va-porizer to discharge the air thereinto at a position spaced from the outlet conduit.

6. In a fuel oil burner, a vaporizer, mean for supplying oil thereto, an auxiliary burner positionedV beneath the vaporizer, a main burner, a conduit in open communication with the vaporizer and leading to the main burner, asource of air under pressure, a conduit leading froin'this source and passing along both sides of the Vaporizer and then communicating with the vaporizer to dischargethe air thereinto, and ay deflector posiioned above the'vaporizer to cause the hot gases from the auxiliary burner to How about the last mentioned conduit and preheat the air.

GEORGE B. JOHNSON. 

